Boghunters Converge

In 2014, Mark O'Brien had received information from David Marvin that he found Ringed Boghaunters (Williamsonia lintneri) at Rose Lake State Wildlife Research Area east of Lansing, MI.  At the beginning of May, Mark said we should look for the boghaunters when the Amelanchiers are blooming.

May 2nd looked like a perfect day for an afternoon of searching.  We parked at the lot across from the shooting range on Peacock Road in Clinton County.  A trail heads east to the bog which is approximately 1/2 mile away just inside Shiawassee County.  Mark was on the prowl.

We found a few very teneral Dot-tailed Whitefaces (L. intacta), a Common Green Darner (A. junius), and several teneral Beaverpond Baskettails (E. canis).

male Beaverpond Baskettail

After an hour of searching the leaves and branches at knee-high or lower, a Ringed Boghaunter (W. lintneri) flew past me and landed on a tree trunk just below waist height.

My first Ringed Boghaunter (W. lintneri)

Shortly after this sighting, a person appeared down the trail with a camera and was obviously searching the area.  It turns out that it was David Marvin and he was the original finder of the boghaunters at this location in 2014.

the boghunters : David Marvin and Mark O'Brien

David noted that he had observed a couple further down the trail.  With continued searching low (below knee level), I started looking a bit higher and found a couple flying above head height with one landing vertically on a tree trunk.  I lifted my net to the trunk about 8 feet above the ground and the ode didn't fly.  I actually had to nudge the dragonfly off the tree with the rim of my net in order to flip it into the bag.  The weather that day was primarily sunny, with light breeze, and temperatures near 70F.

male Ringed Boghaunter

With these sightings, Mark's timing prediction for adult Williamsonia remains intact.  The serviceberries are blooming and the boghaunters are flying.